Hidden gourmet gems in Daxi only known to foodies – A heartwarming scene of cooking together across generations

Photos & Text /Xiao Hu's Dream Food Blog

I can’t remember how long ago my good friend Willie mentioned to me that there’s an amazing little eatery in Daxi, Taoyuan. The head chef there used to work at a five-star hotel, and the food he makes is absolutely delicious... I was skeptical and teased him about it for quite a while before he finally agreed to take me to Daxi for a sniff of this place. (laughs)

Willie drove me and his beautiful wife around winding roads until we ended up in a fairly deserted area, then pulled over at a place that looked nothing like it would serve top-notch cuisine. So I stole a few glances at him from behind.

Willie said the place is very low-key — and indeed it is. Even the exterior is the kind you’d drive past a hundred times without stopping in. Just glancing at the menu outside didn’t make it seem like anything special either.

The dining atmosphere inside is quite interesting. It looks like a humble snack shop, yet they use gold-colored chair covers, giving off hints of a high-end restaurant. This strong contrast is rather intriguing. Chef Guo explained that the idea is to make customers feel like they’re getting a five-star taste experience at the price of a casual eatery.

Turn around and you’ll see walls covered in magazines, news reports, and features. It feels like stepping into a quiet little cave, but one covered in inscriptions of “martial arts secrets.”

How impressive Chef Guo Minghui really is — to be honest, I didn’t know much before coming, but just looking at this wall of his achievements is pretty intimidating. A quick Google search reveals tons of news articles about him. He’s truly a legendary figure in the culinary world. Now I’m genuinely intrigued.

Another fun fact about Dudu Gourmet House: it’s a hidden gem run by a grandfather and grandson duo. Apparently, the young chef started training under Chef Guo when he was just four or five years old. With passion, interest, and guidance from a master, this rare scene of cooking together across generations came to be.

After looking around for a while, I found myself most interested in this Sichuan-style fried noodles. Apparently, it’s also Willie’s favorite. He says these noodles are very different from Cantonese-style ones.

Chef Guo said the dishes on the menu are just a small part of what he can make, but even so, it’s overwhelming trying to decide what to order. Fortunately, today, the well-versed Willie is treating us, so all I have to do is eat. =)

If you’re new here and not sure where to start, why not begin with the “Ten Stunning Signature Dishes” featured on the wall?

Before the main course, let’s try two small appetizers. The eggplant is slow-cooked until tender and flavorful, with a hint of meaty sweetness, garlic, and light saltiness — perfect for warming up your stomach.

The cucumber and radish are lightly laced with more garlic, plus a touch of spice, and have a refreshing crunch that really opens up the palate.

As these arrived, Chef Guo said, “Go ahead and have some stir-fried noodles for now.” Are you kidding me? Stir-fried noodles? Won’t they turn mushy? But when they arrived, not only were they not mushy, they had a lovely slight chewiness. Even better, they didn’t clump together at all. As I chewed, the sweet wheat flavor paired with the aroma of sakura shrimp and a hint of savory pork fat — it really is an amazing “just grab something to eat” dish.

This is Dudu Gourmet House’s popular dish: the “Peach Shrimp Roll.” On the surface, it looks like a light spring roll, but it actually involves a lot of effort — especially the wrapper, which Chef Guo put a lot of thought into developing. To be honest, I’ve never had such a chewy yet soft flatbread. When you bite into it, the wrapper actually springs back like mochi — it’s unbelievable. The texture is incredibly Q (chewy), and it turns out that glutinous rice was added to the dough, making the flavor sweeter and more aromatic, occasionally with a hint of lightly seared aroma. Just eating the wrapper alone is worth the trip.

The moisture from the peach filling blends with the smoothness of the salad mayo, along with the crispiness of the shrimp and the texture of the meat floss, and of course the Q-factor of the wrapper — it’s a dish with incredibly rich layers of texture. In terms of flavor, the peach, mayo, wrapper, and shrimp bring four distinctly different types of sweetness, while the meat floss adds a salty note for contrast. Both flavor and texture are exceptional. Though personally, I think a bit less meat floss might improve it — I felt it slightly overpowered the other flavors.

This glossy, shimmering Kung Pao Chicken was apparently cooked by the young chef. But honestly, if no one told me, I wouldn’t have guessed it was made by a kid of around ten. The Kung Pao has a mild spice that gradually intensifies, with a numbing touch and oily sweetness. You can even taste the fragrant aroma of the peanuts, seared to perfection, within the chicken — proof that the young chef’s control of heat is top-notch. Of course, the chicken pieces are tender, sweet, and juicy. Chef Guo explained that these large chunks are all made from chicken thigh meat, which naturally stays tender and flavorful.

This photo of the scallion-root beef turned out blurry (I seem to always have at least one blurry photo per article). It’s beef stir-fried with cilantro roots. The cilantro flavor is relatively mild and fresh, but adds a nice crunch. The beef is tender with a hint of wok hei (breath of the wok), making it a simple yet delicious dish for rice or wine. =)

Sichuan Spicy Pork Ribs. At first glance, the name doesn’t quite match the dish’s appearance. The outer layer of the ribs is crispy with a bit of juiciness, and the meat itself is unexpectedly tender. The flavor is spicy, with a pleasant numbing sensation and oily sweetness. Even the fragrance of the peanuts comes through in the taste of the ribs, showing the young chef’s great command of heat. And of course, the ribs are tender and sweet. Chef Guo explained that the big, chunky pieces are all from the thigh — naturally tender and flavorful.

Sichuan Fried Noodles. The name may sound a bit funny or plain, but actually, it wasn’t originally called that. A journalist who loved this dish misspelled it, and the name just stuck, eventually becoming the shop’s hidden signature. To get it, you have to make a reservation because Chef Guo says it takes a lot of work. First, thin plain noodles are boiled, then cooled in water to preserve and enhance their chewiness and aroma. Once dried, they’re pan-fried until both sides are slightly crisp. Then the sauce is stir-fried and mixed in.

This level of preparation is what gives the noodles the perfect crispy, crunchy, and chewy texture that Willie loves. Topped with a “three-treasure” sauce made from braised pork liver, squid, and tendons, it’s a dish only a master chef could create. No wonder Willie loves it so much.

This honey-glazed shrimp with deep-fried dough sticks was my favorite dish of the night — probably the one I ate the most of. It starts with a gradually intensifying plum sourness that ends in a sweet aftertaste. It’s pleasing, cuts through grease, and whets the appetite again. The thick sauce ensures the sour-sweet plum flavor lingers in your mouth. Whether it’s the crispness of the dough sticks or the crunch of the shrimp coated in this plum glaze, it’s all insanely delicious.

Minced Chicken with Broken Rice (served with four wrappers). The minced chicken is stir-fried with lots of scallions and garlic, with a hint of spice — right up my alley. The finely chopped chicken actually carries more oil aroma in the mouth. Wrapped in a wrapper, it takes on a bit of the wrapper’s sweetness and freshness. It’s a great drink-pairing or drinking snack on its own, and when wrapped, becomes a satisfying meal. It suits all ages.

Finally, there’s the clay pot chicken, which also requires a reservation. This huge pot costs just 1200... When it arrived, I thought the relatively light-colored, less oily broth might not have much aroma.

But after one sip, I was amazed by its deliciousness. Even without the oily richness I usually prefer, the broth had a lingering sweet chicken flavor. Most importantly, it was very refreshing — no matter how many bowls I drank, it never felt greasy. It’s solidly good.

The whole chicken inside still had a slight bite and remained quite tender. Especially the chicken skin, which was just this side of melting, saturated with sweet, savory broth — it was insanely delicious. If you find just the broth not enough, you can ask them to add a whole big fish ball (10 for 500 NT$). Aside from the tasty chicken, there’s also soft, tender, and Q-textured pig tendon — all in this one pot. A whole pot like this could easily feed ten people, yet the 1200 price tag makes it an unbelievable value.

After witnessing the cooking skills of Chef Guo and his grandson, I’ve finally come to appreciate Willie’s recommendation — and understand why he was so reluctant to bring me here. He clearly wanted to keep it his little secret. What a bad friend (laughs). Hey Chef Guo, next time can I try the braised pork rice you tricked Willie into coming for?

【Dudu Gourmet】
Address: No. 39, Section 2, Renhe Road, Daxi Township, Taoyuan County
Phone: 03-3800-387
Business Hours: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM

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